'India, China refusing to accept deported nationals'

September 17, 2009 01:58 IST

Accusing India along with China, Iran and four other countries of refusing to take back their nationals who were deported from the United States, a lawmaker has introduced a legislation aimed at denying aid to such nations and visas to their nationals.

Speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives, Congressman Ted Poe, said the number of such "criminal aliens" in the US had increased to 160,000. However, he did not give details of how many of them were from India.

"Right now there are over 160,000 of these criminal aliens roaming our nation and our streets. These people have been lawfully deported after they've served their prison time, but their home nation refuses to take them back," Poe said.

He said several countries were refusing to take back their lawfully convicted nationals, naming Vietnam, Jamaica, China, India, Ethiopia, Laos, and Iran.

"These individuals are really people without a country. So what happens to them? Because they have served their time in our Federal and State prisons for felonies, they are actually released back into our communities," Poe said.

Introducing the legislation in the House Poe said: "This bill says that any country who won't take back lawfully convicted foreign nationals who have been deported will lose foreign aid".